So... who's gonna be on the cover of AoR and F&D?

By I. J. Thompson, in Star Wars: Edge of the Empire RPG

Just a bit of idle speculation here, since I'm really interested in the graphic design of this new line. I love how the art in EotE is so much more 'opened up', as opposed to Saga Edition, who kept their art caged in little boxes (except for the splash page of each chapter).

But of course the biggie is, who's going to be on the cover of the next two books? Going with the EotE example of two good guys on top of a wide illustration, my guess is:

  • Age of Rebellion: Luke and Leia
  • Force and Destiny: Ben Kenobi and Yoda

What do you think? This might be an interesting thread to come back to, once we've all got the books in our hot little hands...

No love for Lando? Someone call Jesse Jackson!

Plenty love for Lando, but EotE would have been a better fit for him, I think! :D

AoR: Leia and Wedge

FaD: Luke and Obi Wan

AoR: Admiral Ackbar and Leia/Mon Mothma

FaD: Darth Vader and Luke or Obi Wan

Plenty love for Lando, but EotE would have been a better fit for him, I think! :D

Then we need to demand a Lando sticker that we can put on the EotE book! The second printing must have the cover redone to include Lando. Anything less than this is just unacceptable marginalization of the black hero!

FaD: Darth Vader and Luke or Obi Wan

Hard to resist putting Vader (a bad guy) on the cover. but if they managed to avoid it with EotE (you know half the art department wanted Han and Boba on the cover), then I bet they'll do the same for F&D! :P

But Boba Fett did pop up very centrally on the GM screen for EotE... so if they make new screens for the other two games, my guess is:

  • Age of Rebellion: uh... Tarkin?
  • Force and Destiny: Darth Vader

Man, I hate Tarkin. D:

I could see them putting the Emperor on there, too.

Just a bit of idle speculation here, since I'm really interested in the graphic design of this new line. I love how the art in EotE is so much more 'opened up', as opposed to Saga Edition, who kept their art caged in little boxes (except for the splash page of each chapter).

But of course the biggie is, who's going to be on the cover of the next two books? Going with the EotE example of two good guys on top of a wide illustration, my guess is:

  • Age of Rebellion: Luke and Leia
  • Force and Destiny: Ben Kenobi and Yoda

What do you think? This might be an interesting thread to come back to, once we've all got the books in our hot little hands...

Two coincidences. First I was thinking about this same thing a couple days ago. Second, I had the exact same assumptions. EotE had the two most popular good guys for the fringer element of the book - Han and Cheiw. So, AoR should have the two most popular/important Rebels (good guys) - Luke & Leia. F&D could have followed suit with Luke and Yoda, but Luke already made his debut with AoR, so Ben fills in.

Leia and R2 for AoR, Luke and Ben/Vader for F&D. I'm thinking they'll only use prominent Episode 4 characters and Wedge/Mon Mothma/whoever weren't major characters.

Leia and R2 for AoR, Luke and Ben/Vader for F&D. I'm thinking they'll only use prominent Episode 4 characters and Wedge/Mon Mothma/whoever weren't major characters.

I was assuming the AoR cover would be based upon Episode V and F&D upon Episode VI.

Here are my votes:

AoR Core - Leia and R2-D2 (I would like to see Wedge get on the cover though)
AoR GM Screen - Vader

F&D Core - Luke and Yoda

F&D GM Screen - Emperor

What does everyone think the BG would be? (EotE is an action shot of the Millenium Falcon being chased)

AoR Core - Hoth Battle or Death Star Attack Scene
F&D Core - Emperor's Throne Room on the Death Star or Degobah

Rebellion book

Luke/Leia

Force Book

Darth Vader/Obi Wan

Or the F&D could be Anakin and Obi-Wan in their Ethereal forms... :blink:

Rebellion book

Luke/Leia

Force Book

Darth Vader/Obi Wan

This. It's gotta be iconic characters that even my mom could identify.

I'll even go so far as to say that Luke will be in his X-wing pilot gear.

I highly doubt the rules are going to change in any way that would require a new GM screen, so I doubt they'll do anything there.

Rebellion book

Luke/Leia

Force Book

Darth Vader/Obi Wan

This. It's gotta be iconic characters that even my mom could identify.

I'll even go so far as to say that Luke will be in his X-wing pilot gear.

I highly doubt the rules are going to change in any way that would require a new GM screen, so I doubt they'll do anything there.

Force and Destiny are going to have Luke and Vader. My reasoning is that they are good representation of the duality of the force. Light and dark, good and evil. Luke had a destiny.

Age of Rebellion.. I'm thinking Leia and Ackbar. The former because she was a leader of the rebellion and Alderaan and the latter because the mon calamari joined the rebellion as a whole to fight the Empire.

Rebellion book

Luke/Leia

Force Book

Darth Vader/Obi Wan

This. It's gotta be iconic characters that even my mom could identify.

I'll even go so far as to say that Luke will be in his X-wing pilot gear.

I highly doubt the rules are going to change in any way that would require a new GM screen, so I doubt they'll do anything there.

The GM screen says Edge of the Empire on it. They could have made a generic SWRPG screen, but they didn't. They will be making a screen for each core book. It's easy money for them.

I don't see it as easy money. They already have a screen that will work for all three core books. So while developing a new one would be easy (just use some of the art from the book), the production issues would make it not worth their while. They'd be producing 2 or 3 different screens. Now you're balancing production between three basically identical items for no real gain.

As for the adventure that is included, you'd have two paths. Use the same adventure for all, which means you'll sell far fewer of the next two screens (the adventure was a big selling point). Or make new adventures for each screen. While this is a decent idea and will increase sales, it will anger some who are in part paying for new screens that they have no use for.

I also doubt they'll change the dice packs for the same reasons.

I'm seeing Edge as kind of the flagship of the series. I half way expect the next book to be labeled Edge of the Empire: Age of Rebellion. Sure, AOR will be much larger than EOTE, but still.

FFG earns from other's failures pretty well. I honestly think part of the reason people are fleeing D&D is the constant version changes. 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5 and each time you need 3 new core books and suppliments. People got tired of the cycle and dropped out.

On the surface, there is more than enough reason for them to do a new screen and new dice, drop the EOTE name and move ahead. It wouldn't surprise me if they did so. I just wonder if some players would maybe start to view each core book as a seperate version and just bunker down in the one they are already invested in.

Well according to what information has been released, it's supposed to be a book about the military. So... my guess is:

Admiral Ackbar and/or General Crix Madine

Well I think it depends on theme and time line. I can't say anything for sure, but I am under the impression that that EotE represents the opportunity of post DeathStar1 being destroyed.

The fringers and underworld society will be the first the move the quickest to take the opportunity. So representing the fringer/smuggler/underworld is key. In fact even the Rebellion had to work with a lot of the underworld for supplies. So setting up EotE as that starting point was a good idea. So as pointed out Han and Chewie are good icon characters to represent that aspect of the game and the fact that Han and Chewie were a team.

As for AoR which encompasses phases of the Rebel Alliance until the founding of the New Republic. Though likely also to start around the same time as EotE. In this case Leia is indeed the best candidate for being on of the figures. She is a figure head of the Rebellion; she is key figure being a someone to search for allies. however there really isn't any other iconic figure of republic from the movies that also represent Rebellion. Due to the nature of the military aspect of AoR it's likely a military figure that will share the cover.

AoR: Leia and a lot of military background

As for FaD. Again under the impression I had was that this one will be post war.During the points in the movie Luke never really met the equals of the other Jedi Knights. Yoda says is training is finished, but I suspect the training was more getting him on the right path. Luke never had a lot of time with many teachers. Also Luke was under a lot of Trial by Fire which would have sharpened what skills he did have. Now not counting the one up man ship of writers wanting to make their "Jedi/Sith" better than the others. There is still some reasonable room for growth. but being in the post war era means there is no other living iconic figure.

So hands down Luke will be on the cover alone in his iconic pose with light sabre out and determined look. I think a Sith will be in the background as a large over looming image of threat. Personally I think Darth Krayt fits this image perfectly. An opposing figure of Luke, formed yet another Sith group and had a short term success at controlling part of the galaxy.

Though if my impressions are wrong in regards the time line. then I'm way off :D

In regards to the screens and dice, I think there will be new ones. The Age of Rebellion (and force and destiny) dice will be exactly the same but with a different paper insert. Eventually, there will be dice packs for all three. I'm sure they will say also compatible with on them. I also think after the initial run for each stand alone core book we will get dice that list all three games.

Fantasy flight will want to tie in oroducts to their current release as then people will know, specifically brand new players, what product is associated.

The same goes for the gm screens. Much like the book, they will have a lot if reprinted info, but they MAY have tables that are exclusive to that rpg, such as mass combat if it is put in. Force and Destiny gm screens will probably be the most different as there will be a focus on the force powers and light side/dark side effects likely.

To the people who are crying fowl at new screens and dice, please remember there will people who just get Age of Rebellion or Force and Destiny, whether because they didn't like the idea of playing smugglers or anything other than a Jedi or they either didnt know there was a star wars rpg or are buying their very first rpg.

We have to remember that each game is a stabd alone product, but compatible. We as players also forget what it us like for new players and make assumptions that they will know the gm screen are similar ot the dice or whatever. While many of us will indeed grumble at buying a book that has the same info we have to realise that the product is not just for us. Its for new players and people who may only like one aspect, such as Jedi, in star wars.

We have to remember that each game is a stabd alone product, but compatible. We as players also forget what it us like for new players and make assumptions that they will know the gm screen are similar ot the dice or whatever. While many of us will indeed grumble at buying a book that has the same info we have to realise that the product is not just for us. Its for new players and people who may only like one aspect, such as Jedi, in star wars.

I agree. New players would purchase whatever the "new" thing is at the time when they "find" RPG's. Some may purchase previous games, but often they will purchase one and stick with it for a little while. Long time RP'ers do need to remember back to those early days in their gaming career and realize that often we bought one product because we were either on a budget or we just liked that one aspect. I feel like SW probably stands a better chance than most of new players purchasing multiple game lines, but it might be spread out over a long time or lots of sales around the holidays as presents. Usually new players are high school or college age and are on a budget.

I was reconsidering my ideas for the characters for the front of the other two core books. I think this is more than likely:

AoR Core: Princess Leia and Grand Moff Tarkin

F&D Core: Luke and Vader

or Luke and Obi-Wan

or Luke and Yoda

These would be more representative of the games themes.

Well if the just announced Beta is anything to go by, we'll have an X-Wing and a bunch of explody behind it!

Well if the just announced Beta is anything to go by, we'll have an X-Wing and a bunch of explody behind it!

Nice looking cover, too bad no characters though.

Of course it's just beta, so things could change.

I agree, I would almost certainly suspect Luke and Leia. I would guess Force and Destiny will probably have at least Yoda.

Of course, I am talking about Core Book... not beta. If we are comparing to the way EotE went... I would bet a Xwing and perhaps TIE on cover to go with the beta EotE's YT-1300. In fact, I would not be surprised if they are flying in the Death Star trench.

Edited by BrashFink